[[Image:Abp_seraphim.jpg|right|frame|Archbishop Seraphim]]His GraceEminence, the Right Most Reverend SERAPHIM '''Seraphim (Storheim) is the Ruling Bishop , Archbishop of Ottawa and Canada''' served as ruling [[bishop]] of the [[Orthodox Church in America]]'s [http://www.archdiocese.ca [Archdiocese of Canada (OCA)|Archdiocese of Canada]], Secretary secretary to the Holy Synod of Bishops[[holy synod]], and Chair of the Church's Department of External Affairs. Bishop SERAPHIM Archbishop Seraphim also has the distinction of being the first Canadian to be [[ordination|consecrated to the episcopacy ]] within the Orthodox ChurchOCA. His tenure ended when he was placed on a leave of absence effective October 1, 2010.
== Early Life ==Born Abp. Seraphim was born Kenneth William Storheim in Edmonton , Alberta on [[January 25]], 1946, Kenneth William Storheim came from a of Norwegian and Scottish backgroundparents, and was raised in the Lutheran Church. His personal studies and spiritual orientation led him to Anglicanism and later to Orthodoxychurch.
He graduated Receiving his undergraduate degree from Bonnie Doone High School in Edmonton and took a general Bachelor of Arts at the University of Alberta, contemplating a career in music. While there "the Lord backed him into a comer", and young Storheim went on to Seraphim also studied at the Vancouver School of Theology. His stay in Vancouver brought him to , British Columbia. A former Anglican [http://www.holyres.org Holy Resurection Russian Orthodox Church[rector]]whereand accomplished musician, among he was received into the local Russian parishionersOrthodox Church in 1978, he met for the first time converts to Orthodoxy from a Canadian backgroundaccepting as his heavenly patron St. After a while he became acquainted with the clergy [[Seraphim of the church: Archpriests Oleg Boldireff, Peter Kurzemnek, John Karateev, later with Bishop Joasaph and with some original parishioners, like MrSarov]]. He then attended [[St. Anatole PortnoffVladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary (Crestwood, the singer of the Church choirNew York)|St. The future bishop was delighted by the Vladimir's Orthodox Church services Theological Seminary]] in Crestwood, New York, where he graduated and Church music and became a frequent visitor here. In this church received the "seed Master of true faith fell on good soil in his heart and the plant grew and bore grain Theology degree in abundance", but not before he went through a few more years of searching and contemplation1981.
== Journey Prior to Orthodoxy ==After his graduation from consecration to the Vancouver School of Theologyepiscopacy, Kenneth was ordained into the Anglican priesthood in 1972. He served six years in Edmonton (1972-74) and His Eminence lived at [[New Valamo|New Valaam]] monastery in PonokaFinland, Alberta (1974-78). Throughout these years he became more and more disillusioned with Anglicanism, which tended to change dramatically. During this time Fr. Kenneth deepened his ties with the Orthodox Church whose presence was visible especially served as a [[parish]] [[priest]] in Alberta. Here he attended many Orthodox churches and met many Orthodox Christians both clergy and laymen and learned that the Orthodox Church, unlike the one he was ordained keeping the tradition of communities throughout the Apostolic Church. Fr. Kenneth liked what he found in Orthodoxy United States and came to a firm conclusion by himself that he wanted to become Orthodox. Once having decided, he acted upon it quicklyCanada.
He was consecrated [[auxiliary bishop]] of Edmonton in 1987, and became ruling bishop of the [[archdiocese]] in 1990. He was elevated to the rank of [[archbishop]] at the Spring 2007 meeting of the OCA's Holy Synod.
== Theological and Priestly Formation ==In August 1978, Kenneth Storheim was received into As secretary of the Holy Orthodoxy with Synod of the name Seraphim at [http://www.sthermans.ca St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church] OCA, His Eminence has served in Edmonton, accepting as his heavenly patron St. Seraphim a number of Sarov. Then he was admitted into [http://www.svots.edu St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary] in New Yorkadministrative capacities for the holy synod, where he received the Masters degree and has also travelled extensively in Theology. He was ordained to the Holy Deaconate by Archbishop Sylvester at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church in Moose JawRussia, Saskatchewan on October 28Ukraine, 1979 and to the Holy Priesthood by Metropolitan Theodosius in the chapel of Three Saints at St. Vladimir's Seminary on November 21Middle East,1979. He graduated as a Master of Divinity in 1981and throughout Europe.
During Although often on the two latter years in road visiting the Seminarymany and far-flung communities of the Archdiocese, Fr. Seraphim lived as a monk and spent several months at well as representing the New Valaamo Monastery in FinlandOCA internationally, to where he was invited by the late Archbishop Paul of Finland. While being tonsured monastic he took as his protector StAbp. Seraphim's residence is an hour south of Ottawa, near Johnstown, at the New Martyr of ConstantinopleArchdiocesan Centre, Fair Haven.
From On [[September 4]], 2008, following the Spring retirement of 1981 Fr. Seraphim served as a traveling Metropolitan Herman due to ill health (and supply priest in Albertapending back surgery), North Carolina and Ontario until becoming Rector the Holy Synod of Holy Trinity Sobor in Winnipeg on December 1, 1984. In this particular year he also accompanied St. Vladimir's Seminarian Octet across the USA and CanadaOCA named Abp. Throughout his eight years as an Orthodox priest Father Seraphim presented himself as a devoted pastor, caring for and loving his flock and giving his wisdom, knowledge and energy to the service administrator of the Church Metropolitan’s [[See]] and to its people. Thus it happened only naturally that he became a candidate for assist His Eminence, [[Dmitri (Royster) of Dallas|Dmitri]] who was appointed the bishopric''[[locum tenens]]''.
In late September 2010 the Lesser Synod meeting in Oyster Bay Cove, NY heard a report that Canadian police were investigating a complaint of sexual misconduct against Archbishop Seraphim. This act was alleged to have taken place thirty years prior when Archbishop Seraphim was a priest in Winnipeg. He was placed on a three-month leave of absence as the investigation continued and his episcopal responsibilities were being managed by [[Irénée (Rochon) of QuebecCity|Bishop Irenee]].
== First CanadianDuring their annual fall session in Detroit, MI October 19-Born Orthodox Bishop ==In 23, 2015, the meantime, members of the office Holy Synod of Bishops of the Diocesan Bishop Orthodox Church in Canada had been vacant since America canonically deposed the retired Archbishop Sylvester retired on July 1, 1981. The Diocesan Assembly held in Winnipeg in June of 1984 noted that while Metropolitan Theodosius, as Seraphim from the "Locum Tenens", was devoting as much time status and effort to all sacred functions of the Canadian flock as possibleepiscopacy, removed him from the geographically vast Archdiocese should have a Bishop of its own. This led to the following: in November ranks of 1986 the Diocesan Council nominated Father Seraphim to the episcopateclergy, in March 1987 the Holy Synod accepted the nomination and decided for returned him to be "Bishop of Edmonton", the auxiliary to the ruling Bishop status of Canada. Thus, during the Great Lent Father Seraphim was tonsured to become a lay monk and on the Holy Pascha .==See also==* [[Archdiocese of 1987 the Hieromonk Seraphim was elevated to the rank of Archimandrite.Canada (OCA)]]
On June 13, 1987, at the end of the Diocesan Assembly of the ==External Links==* [http://archdiocese.ca Archdiocese of Canada, Archimandrite Seraphim was consecrated Bishop in St] (Official Site)* [http://www.archdiocese.ca/e_bishop/archbishop.htm Official biography]* [http://www.archdiocese. Herman's Orthodox Church in Edmontonca/archivesbishops. Becoming the first Canadian born bishop to rule, later on, the Canadian Archdiocese htm List of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in AmericaCanada]* [http://oca. org/news/headline-news/holy-synod-renders-decision-concerning-archbishop-seraphim Decision of deposition of Archbishop Seraphim]
The solemn ceremony of the consecration was headed by the Primate of the Church, His Beatitude Theodosius, Archbishop of Washington, DC, Metropolitan to, did not changed through the centuries, of All-America and Canada, together with His Grace, the Right Reverend Nathaniel, Bishop of Detroit and His Grace, the Right Reverend Boris, Bishop of Chicago. Co-celebrating were: Archpriest Daniel Hubiak, the Chancellor of the OCA, Archpriest John Tkachuk, the Chancellor of the Archdiocese, Protodeacon Basil Hubiak and the clergy of the Archdiocese present at the Assembly. The care for the protocol of the services was in the hands of Archpriests Robert Kondratik (for the OCA Chancery) and Stephen Keaschuk (for the local church).
On the eve {{start box}}{{succession|title=Archbishop of the Consecration, Archimandrite Seraphim officially accepted his election as Bishop, affirmed his allegiance to the fundamental Orthodox doctrine and promised to faithfully serve the Church and his flock. Edmonton<br>([[OCA]])|before=Joasaph (Antoniuk)|years=1987-1990|after=?}}{{succession|title=Archbishop of Ottawa<br>([[OCA]])|before=[[Theodosius (Lazor) of Washington|Theodosius (Lazor)]]<br><b><i>locum tenens</i></b>|years=1990-2014|after=[[Irénée (Rochon) of Ottawa|Irénée (Rochon)]]}}{{end box}}
During the Divine Liturgy the [[Category:Bishops]][[Category:Bishops laid their hands on his head, held an open Bible over him and prayed that he would be "a leader of the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a luminary to the world".Edmonton]] The Primate of the Church, Metropolitan Theodosius, vested the new Bishop, placing the saccos over him and giving him other ornaments of his new position in the Church. The [[Category:Bishops and the clergy, as well as the worshippers present in the church, shouted "Axios" (Greek for "he is worthy') as each article of the vestment was put on him.Ottawa]] At the end, the new Bishop took in his hands the dikirion and trikirion, the ceremonial candleholders used by Bishops and blessed with them those in the church. "Eis pola eti Despota" [[Category:20th- Many years Master! 21st- Sung the churchcentury bishops]][[Category: St. Vladimir's Seminary Graduates]][[Category:Converts to Orthodox Christianity]]It was an unforgettable event. The day was beautiful, sunny and warm, the service was magnificent, and we all, who were lucky enough [[Category:Converts to witness the ceremony of the consecration of the new Bishop, a ceremony which goes back to the early days of the Christian Church, were so tremendously happy to see our new Vladika with the dikirion and trikirion in his hands blessing us, his unworthy servants. Bishop Seraphim has said that giving Orthodoxy a higher profile in Canadian society is one of his priorities. He is a tireless worker for Orthodox unity and the unity of the Archdiocese. He seeks to imbrue the faithful with the spirit of the Gospel, and is much beloved by the faithful of the Archdiocese.Christianity from Protestantism]]
